J&B MET FAVOURITE JACKSON IN FINE SHAPE

J&B Met favourite, Jackson
(Photo : Hamish Niven Photography)

J&B MET (Grade 1)
Kenilworth, Turf, 2000m
2 February 2013

David Thiselton
Gold CircleJ&B Met favourite Jackson looked in fine shape at the Philippi training centre earlier this week, although trainer Brett Crawford won’t go into Saturday’s race without any concerns. The yard is also quietly confident of a good run from their other J&B Met runner, Black Wing.

Jackson is not the most well behaved horse at the starting stalls and having to jump from the pens twice in the Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate did him no favours. “He is an adrenalin horse,” said Crawford, implying the first jump would have taken a bit out of him. In the second start he was taken up handy. That is not his usual style, but the connections had already tried dropping him out from a wide draw in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes and against a horse like Variety Club the ground can just not be made up. He over raced in the Queen’s Plate early on, so showed huge heart to still get up for second. However, the whole experience took its toll and he pulled up very distressed, suffering from heat exhaustion. Crawford, talking about his post race condition, said, “It is obviously always in the back of your mind. We did all we could for him and are happy that he has bounced back, but we would have preferred it if that false start hadn’t happened.”

Jackson is a big, strong horse, which will give him a good chance of overcoming the post race experience. However, the experience at the starting stalls, when difficult to load for the first start and then having to go through the whole process again, might be more of a concern, although the yard are sure to have done plenty of schooling at the pens since then. A big plus for his chances is that he has at last landed a good draw. Furthermore, he is unbeaten in two starts over the 2000m trip, both of the races in Grade 1s. He will not have to be chased from his draw of five, so should have something in reserve to launch his devastating finishing kick. He also always runs all the way to the line, with the Grade 1 Vodacom Durban July over 2200m being the only exception. Crawford reckoned the four-year-old Dynasty colt still had a relaxed temperament and pointed at his form. “He’s only been beaten by Variety Club in his last two starts and I think he would have got closer last time without the false start.” Talented jockey Karis Teetan will be aboard.

Jackson strode out well Monday when doing some light work on the light sand track.

Crawford said the Summerhill-bred Black Wing was doing very well and confirmed that he would relish the step up in trip. “It will be tough, but he’s in good form, ran a good last race and you never know what might happen with luck in running. He came from way back in the Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap to finish three lengths back to Hill Fifty Four and is now 3kg better off.” Black Wing is drawn nine with Felix Coetzee aboard.

Extract from Gold Circle

JACKSON AND POMODORO IN QUEEN'S PLATE QUEST

Jackson wins the Investec Cape Derby (Grade 1) from Variety Club
(Photo : Gold Circle)

L’ORMARINS QUEEN’S PLATE (Grade 1)
Kenilworth, Turf, 1600m
12 January 2013

David Thiselton
Gold CircleSpeaking about jockey Karis Teetan’s tactics aboard Jackson in Saturday’s prestigous Grade 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m at Kenilworth, trainer Brett Crawford said it would likely depend on his initial perceptions of the pace.

The four-year-old Dynasty colt was dropped out from a wide draw in his last start in the Grade 2 Green Point Stakes over the 1600m of the tighter Kenilworth Old Course and had too much to do in the straight, so was never going to catch Variety Club, although he ran on strongly for a 2,5 length second. However, Crawford did not discount a repeat of those tactics and said, “Saturday’s race is on the new course (which has a considerably longer straight) and obviously on the Old course it was harder to make up the ground.”

Crawford also pointed out that Variety Club had drawn wide this time, as opposed to pole position in the Green Point, which brought about the possibility of a change in tactics with Teetan’s initial reading of the pace likely being the key factor in how the horse’s race would pan out. He confirmed Jackson to be in great shape having come through his final gallop very well.

Jackson is drawn at 13 in the 15 horse field, with his chief rival Variety Club drawn on the very outside.

Sean Tarry’s Vodacom Durban July winner, the ever-improving Pomodoro, has drawn nicely in 7 and looks to be a major threat to Variety Club, who holds the unofficial crown of South Africa’s top miler.

Pomodoro, a four-year-old Jet Master colt, is unbeaten since a shoulder niggle was discovered before his famous Vodacom Durban July victory. The niggle might have explained why he shifted badly late when dead-heating in the SA Derby and almost certainly explained why he cantered down to the start so poorly before staying on for fifth in the Daily News 2000. However, since then Pomodoro is unbeaten, winning the July by a whisker from an impossible draw and then being most impressive in his two comeback races this season. He flew at the finish to beat some good sprinters over 1200m on November 13 and then toyed with some useful sorts over a mile in his last start.

Those wins have left people questioning whether he might just be something special and Saturday’s race will likely answer the question. However, Tarry erred on the side of caution, “He is better as a four-year-old and did nothing wrong as a three-year-old. The distance of the Queen’s Plate won’t be a problem as he won that 1200m race and won the Tony Ruffel over 1450m of the Turffontein inside track as a three-year-old. But I think Variety Club might just be a better miler.” Ace jockey Piere Strydom rides Pomodoro.

The Joey Ramsden-trained Variety Club, however, has to overcome a draw of 15 in the 15 horse field but does has champion jockey Anton Marcus aboard. Tarry said, “I can’t see much pace in the race, so Variety Club will probably overcome the draw with ease, unless Jackson keeps him out. Jackson is a top horse in his own right.” Jackson is drawn two berths inside of Variety Club in 13. Tarry continued, “We have no complaints about our draw.” He mused, “The pace might be forced by the jockeys wanting to keep Variety Club and Jackson out. However, in Variety Club’s favour is his phenomenal gate speed, which should allow him to get to the front virtually for free. Also, due to the use of false rails in South Africa, jockeys out here are not as tactically aware as their overseas counterparts. They don’t have to worry about getting a run in the straight and can afford to sit on the rail in behind horses. This is a contributing factor to the generally slower pace of races out here, especially at Kenilworth where jockeys are reluctant to lead due to the prevailing South Easterly headwind.”

lqp.co.za

Extract from Gold Circle

PATRIOTIC REBEL : A REBEL WITH A CAUSE

Click above to watch Patriotic Rebel winning his maiden…
(Image : Gold Circle - Footage : Tellytrack)

PATRIOTIC REBEL (SAF)
2011 SUMMERHILL READY TO RUN GRADUATE

PATRIOTIC REBEL (SAF)
Stronghold (GB) - Rebel Qui (SAF) by Qui Danzig (USA)
3 Year-Old Bay Colt

Owner : Gavin Almanza and Tom Yates
Trainer : Brett Crawford
Jockey : Karis Teetan
Breeder : Kinmount Stud

PATRIOTIC REBEL is a graduate from the Summerhill draft of the 2011 Emperors Palace Ready To Run Sale.

SOCCER 6 MAIDEN PLATE
Durbanville, Turf, 1800m
26 September 2012

#	LBH	Horse	Kg	MR	Dr	Jockey	Trainer
1	0.00	PATRIOTIC REBEL	56.0	81	7	K Teetan	Brett Crawford
2	1.00	LIEUTENANTGOVERNOR	56.0	70	1	G Hatt	Joey Ramsden
3	1.75	SHEPHERDS PURSE	56.0	77	8	G van Niekerk	Piet Steyn
4	2.50	HOLD ON TIGER	56.0	71	9	* G Goomany (4.0)	Riaan Van Reenen
5	3.75	BAYONT	60.0	68	3	A Domeyer	Patrick Kruyer
6	4.15	DOMANI	60.0	69	15	R Khathi	Glen Puller
7	4.35	AUTHENTIC ALBERT	56.0	72	11	G Wright	Justin Snaith
8	5.85	KOENIGSEGG	60.0	61	6	* D Lee (2.5)	Joey Ramsden
9	9.60	COUNTING THE BEATS	56.0	54	14	D Ashby	Justin Snaith
10	10.60	SMART WOOD	60.0	61	13	* A Andrews (2.5)	Eric Sands
11	10.65	LAZAROS	60.0	49	5	K Steyn	Stephen Page
12	10.75	ESTIVATION	60.0	51	2	B Fayd’Herbe	Mike Bass
13	12.50	ELEGANTISSIMO	60.0	50	12	O Noach	Vaughan Marshall
14	16.25	PROFESSOR X	56.0	64	10	M Byleveld	Andries Steyn
15	19.75	BLUE CRANE	60.0	59	4	A Fortune	Eric Sands
		Late Scratching
16	0.00	ZE KAISER	56.0	66	17	F Coetzee	Mike Bass
17	0.00	GRAYSON	56.0	0	13	G Behr	Dean Kannemeyer
18	0.00	SOLOMONS WALL	56.0	0	18	K Neisius	Dean Kannemeyer

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za

TURF TUNES

Trainer Brett Crawford leads in Patriotic Rebel with owner Gavin Almanza
(Photo : Gold Circle)

EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN CUP
Turffontein, Turf, 1400m
3rd November 2012

Log-watchers for the R2.5million Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup have plenty to amuse them at this time of the year, as one horse after another puts it’s hand up for one of the sixteen places at the start. Yesterday, Brett Crawford staked a claim when Stronghold’s son, Patriotic Rebel, came home at Durbanville. Ironically, if this fellow gets into the race, he will be racing for the same money as the Crawford star, Jackson, will be in the J&B Met on the first Saturday in February.

Just a fortnight ago, I was in the company of Sean Tarry, John McVeigh and Mike de Kock as the sun went down over the Indian Ocean after a glorious day at Zimbali Lodge. Remarkably, the latter two were “on the wagon”, a unique sight for those who know them, and for a man who sent out Extra Zero to pick up a R400,000 cheque for her place in last year’s Cup, it was almost as remarkable that Sean Tarry thought he didn’t have a candidate for the race this year. All that changed in a matter of seventy odd seconds at the Vaal on Tuesday, when the Mullins Bay filly Tinchy Stryder did exactly that, striding away to an impressive 4,5 length debut win. While we’ve no idea how the handicappers will rate this one, she must have a strong shot at making the line-up for the big money on the first Saturday in November. They say success in this game is a momentum thing, and Chris van Niekerk’s equine investments have been on fire ever since Pomodoro edged Smanjemanje in the Vodacom Durban July.

On another note altogether, High Chaparral’s star continues its orbit at the top end of the constellation. He already has the best two-year-old in England, he had a Group One winner in the Northern Dancer Stakes a week ago, and this weekend, Shoot Out fired a bullet in the George Main Stakes (Gr.1) at Caulfield, Australia. Don’t forget, High Chaparral also has his best-performed Northern Hemisphere product, Golden Sword, right here at Summerhill, with an impressive first book of mares.

"PJ", JACKSON AND ENGLISH GARDEN

Summerhill-bred Pierre Jourdan
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

VODACOM DURBAN JULY (Grade 1)
Greyville, Turf, 2200m
7 July 2012

Were you a watcher of Tellytrack’s excellent broadcast on the July Day fields Sunday evening? If you weren’t, we won’t recount everything they talked about, because the show will be on the loop on Channel 232, and you can get it for yourself. But what did matter, was their discussion on the “big one”, the Vodacom Durban July. Before you accuse us of parochialism because we happen to be the only farm with two runners, it’s worth remembering that it’s Africa’s greatest horse race, and it’s the only one that counts right now. The panel comprised four learned gentleman, Graeme Hawkins, Vaughan Marshall, Sheldon Peters and Brett Crawford, the latter the trainer of the ruling hot favourite, Jackson, and one-time conditioner of a Summerhill J&B Met hero, Angus. The panel were unanimous, it’s Jackson or nobody, despite his draw at 16. We all know how good Jackson is, and the fact that the weights for three-year-old colts are capped at 57 kgs, makes him a very likely prospect, with luck in the running.

To illustrate how well he’s in at the weights, last year’s runner-up, the Summerhill-bred Pierre Jourdan, was assigned 57,5 kgs for the 2011 version, while the best three-year-old in the field, Igugu, was set to carry 55,5 kgs, which she did with aplomb, closing strongly to hold off “PJ’s” challenge by ¾ length at the line. This year, PJ concedes 3 kgs to the colt Jackson, and he would have to be the first horse since the introduction of metric weights in 1961 to carry 60 kgs to victory, if he is to take Jackson’s colours down. That’s a kilogram more than he conceded to Igugu (a filly), so in handicapping terms, he has an impossible task, but the July can be an “impossible” race to predict. There are twenty horses in the race, the Greyvillle straight is relatively short (450 metres), and the false rail, which was traditionally set at somewhere between 10 and 13 metres out from the normal rail, is brought in to 6 metres for the July. The experts tell us that at 6 metres, outside horses are at something of a disadvantage when they come off the rail.

One horse whom we’ve feared ever since the weights came out, was last year’s third, English Garden, not only well drawn this year, but with an added year of maturity and just 56,6 kgs to carry, he looks like a serious “lurker”.

Beyond these three, it’s anybody’s race, though Mary Slack’s two fillies, Ilha Bela and Gorongosa, both deserve mention. We know the bettors fancy Ilha Bela ahead of Gorongosa, but we have a sneaky suspicion about the latter, who’s 9 for 10 so far, and whilst that record came in lesser company, she will stay every inch of the race, and will be doing her best work at the business end of it. Oh, and one other thing: she’s trained by Mike de Kock.

If you’re a Summerhill man, you’re not going to conclude this story without mentioning Smanjemanje, who at 66-1 is the rank outsider. He’s a dual Group winner this season, and looked a winner with 150 to go in the Champions Cup (Gr.1) at Turffontein just two months back. If you’re looking for a decent place bet at very long odds, you could do worse than to have a couple of bob on him. Remember where he comes from, and that tells you, anything could happen! And they’re paying six places.

The best represented stallion in the race, is a former hero, Dynasty, who won it in facile fashion from the 20 draw. Jackson jumps from the 16 slot, and if he’s anything like his Dad, that has to be a positive portent. Besides, Dynasty has the excellent Beach Beauty (also drawn wide) and with a bit of luck, could be concerned with the finish, though this diminutive filly has 57 kgs to cope with. Otherwise, there’s the lightly raced Sage Throne, who is something of an unknown quantity at this level, but who has enough on his record to give him a sniff. Like Jet Master and Captain Al, Dynasty is another exceptional advertisement for South African-bred stallions, having been bred and raised at Mary Slack’s Wilgerbosdrift Farm up the West Coast, and now standing at Highlands Farm Stud in Robinson.

For what it’s worth, the panel’s top bets on the day are: Captain’s Wild (presently at 10/1) in the 2200, and Golden Chateau (4/1) in the Byerley Turk (Darley Arabian).